Finding the Balance: Public Health and Social Measures in Zambia

Background:
Public health and social measures (PHSMs) are an important strategy to slow transmission of COVID-19 and reduce the pressure on health care systems, but they can place a significant burden on people, especially when they restrict movement or access to services. This brief aims to inform policy decisions in Zambia that balance the benefit of PHSMs for reducing transmission with other priorities, including economic and social impacts. It is based on the review,
synthesis and analysis of data illuminating different dimensions of COVID-19 in Zambia—including a nationally representative telephone poll, media monitoring, epidemiological data and other publicly available data sources. Data sources and methods are described at the end of the document.